Abstract
The article presents the results of works concerning evaluation of undeveloped deposits in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin and an estimation of hard coal reserves which can be developed by 2050. Evaluation of hard coal deposits was established on criterions choice and their score determination. On the basis of obtained the final score and after consultations with experts in the field of hard coal mining, there were selected three areas of undeveloped deposits with the amount of about 1.99 Gt (billion metric tons) of anticipated economic resources which can extend the coal reserve base located in the direct vicinity of operating hard coal mines. Additionally, one undeveloped coal deposit with estimated resources amounts to about 1.15 Gt was selected as a potential deposit whose resources could be included in the reserves of operating mines, up to the depth of 1,500 metres. Deposit areas were selected and hard coal reserves were estimated with a view to building new coal mines. For Oświęcim-Polanka deposit, there was built a 3D geological model with estimated the amount of 924 Mt (million metric tons) of anticipated economic resources of coal. An example of a deposit development with ventilation, extraction and transport/haulage underground roadways connecting coal seams with the surface are presented. The designed mine working was placed in the 3D geological deposit model which is a useful tool for designing spatial deposit management.
Highlights
Mineral resources are one of basic natural resources, which have direct influence on the economic growth of a country and, in turn, on the standard of life of people living there
Estimations of undeveloped deposits, as objects qualifying for prospective development, are a complex issue
During the initial analysis of undeveloped deposits, the ones of anticipated economic resources which fall only into category D of deposit verification (Pilchowice, Studzionka-Mizerow, Sumina) were excluded from the further procedure of deposit estimations. These are undeveloped deposits with prognostic/perspective hard coal resources tentatively recognized in category D with error in estimating the average values of the deposit parameters and amount of resources which may exceed 40% [23]
Summary
Mineral resources are one of basic natural resources, which have direct influence on the economic growth of a country and, in turn, on the standard of life of people living there. Around the world, there is available over 1 trillion metric tons (1 Â 1012) of marketable coal reserves, whose exploitation may be economically feasible. It means that, at the present production rate, the reserves of coal will last approximately 150 years. The world reserves of oil and gas will last respectively about 50 and 52 years, at the present production rate [1]. After many years of works aimed at searching for and surveying mineral deposits around the world, locations, volume and characteristics of most coal deposits are quite well known. The world coal reserves, as of 2018, are estimated to be 1,055 billion metric tons (1.055 Â 1012).
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